Vampire Weekend at The Social

Vampire Weekend have announced that they will play an intimate free gig in London on February 3. The band will take to the stage at the Relentless Garage venue for fans who have won tickets from HMV.com.

The Drums are among the bands to feature in the BBC’s annual list of musical tips. The New York band, who will hit the road in January on the Shockwaves NME Awards Tour, feature in the Sound Of 2010 longlist alongside the likes of Ellie Goulding and Marina And The Diamonds. Pic: Pieter M Van Hattem

Muse have announced details of six new US live dates for February, March and April next year. The band will kick off the gig run on February 27 at the Atlanta Gwinnett Center and end it at the E Center in Salt Lake City on April 5. Pic: Andy Willsher

The Horrors have been named NME’s Album Of 2009 for their second record, ‘Primary Colours’. The band topped our annual writers’ poll, pipping the likes of The xx, Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear, who all make this year’s Top 10. In NME’s Tracks Of 2009, it’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs who take the honours, with ‘Zero’ claiming the Number One spot. Pic: Dean Chalkley

Damon Albarn says he “hasn’t thought” about Blur since their 2009 reunion tour ended. The frontman, who took to the road throughout the summer with the group, playing numerous sold-out shows and festivals, has said he has moved on from the experience. Pic: Danny North

Lady Gaga has admitted she has had flings with both women and men. The singer told US chat show host Barbara Walters that she is bisexual, but admitted that she has only ever been in love with men. Pic: Danny North

The Late Show with David Letterman Arrivals – New York

Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA is set to mark the 20th anniversary of his music career with an art project. Entitled ‘Victory Or Death’, the details of the project are being kept under wraps, but will include the unveiling of a canvas painting.

ellie goulding

Ellie Goulding has been announced as the winner of the BRITs 2010 Critics’ Choice award. The singer-songwriter won the award ahead of Delphic and Marina And The Diamonds, who were also shortlisted. Goulding won the award after votes from a panel of music industry and media experts were clocked up.

Image credit: Dean Chalkley

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Style: “Daylight pop plus”

Fucked Up’s version of the Band Aid song ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’, featuring Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig and Wu-Tang Clan’s GZA, has been released. The new version of the 1984 charity song also features Yo La Tengo, Bob Mould, Andrew WK, TV On The Radio’s Kyp Malone, comedian David Cross and Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew. Pic: Danny North

Image credit: Danny North

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the killers

The Killers’ Brandon Flowers isn’t going solo, despite rumours which started circulating earlier today (December 4). According to reports on various websites, the singer was looking into releasing his own material away from the band, but the groups’s record label have denied such accusations.

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Singapore F1 Rocks No Doubt

No Doubt have been counter-sued by Activision over their video game ‘Band Hero’, with the company claiming the band are in breach of contract. Gwen Stefani and co had sued Activision over the issue of their game characters being able to perform songs by artists other than themselves.

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Jay-Z and Ian Brown

Jay-Z is suing a tea house in the US for playing his music without permission. The rapper apparently sent agents working for music royalties company ASCAP to the Alabama shop, called A Spot Of Tea, where they observed songs including Rihanna and Jay-Z’s ‘Umbrella’ being played without licence.

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noel gallagher

Liam Gallagher has spoken about his love for brother and former Oasis bandmate Noel Gallagher. Talking at the launch of his Pretty Green clothing line at the Manchester branch of Selfridges, the singer revealed his feelings towards Noel, despite previously saying that he had no interest in speaking to him again. Pic: Dean Chalkley

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Splendour Festival – Nottingham

Lightspeed Champion has released the first of many free bootlegs he plans to release online. Called ‘House-Sitting Songs’, the album was recorded earlier this year whilst the songwriter was house-sitting for a friend in Manhattan.

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Lily Allen

Lily Allen has confirmed that she is set to take a break from performing and recording music for “one or two” years while she pursues other projects. She told BBC Newsbeat that instead of performing after her last scheduled gig on March 7 – with Dizzee Rascal at The O2 in London – she’ll turn her attentions to launching “a record label and running a rental clothes store”. Pic: Tom Oxley

Image credit: Tom Oxley

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fotc

Flight Of The Conchords have confirmed they are not planning to make a third series of the programme. A post on Flightoftheconchords.co.nz confirms that Bret McKenzie, Jermaine Clement and (co-creator) James Bobin were proud of the show’s two previous series’, but that there are no plans to make a third. Pic: Tom Oxley

Image credit: Tom Oxley

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outside 0077

The Courteeners have announced that their forthcoming second album will be titled ‘Falcon’. The album, the follow-up to their 2007 debut ‘St Jude’, is set for release in February. The band made a song from the album, ‘Cross My Heart & Hope To Fly’, available as a free download recently.